Starting off on an Allegheny Trail Thru Hike
Note: This blog was originally published on The Trek and can be viewed in its original format here. This blog post covers June 12 through June 19, 2024.
In the weeks leading up to my Allegheny Trail thru hike, I found myself more nervous that I usually am before a long hike. The added element of creating larger paintings and needing to meet expectations and deadlines (even if they were set by myself), as well as a contractual commitment to hike at least 75% of the trail, had me wondering how different this experience might be. But mostly, after weeks of a slammed pack schedule, I was excited to spend some much needed time in the woods.
Getting Started
I fly to Pittsburgh a few days before my scheduled start date, and enjoy visiting with my family that lives there. My hiking partner, Grey Squirrel, flies into PIT the morning of our start date, and my aunt and I pick him up, then head to the northern terminus which is about an hour and a half away. The road to the terminus is accessible, and the drive was scenic.
Here, we meet with a WVSTA volunteer who sees us off, and our thru hike is under way! The first day is primarily gravel, back roads, through hay fields, farms, and scattered houses. We see very few cars and are greeted warmly by the people we pass. I regret the 2pm start time, though, as the sun is high and hot, and I realizedthe sunscreen tube I packed was mostly empty from a previous hike.
The Cheat Canyon
The same WVSTA volunteer picks us up as we neared I-68, and we enjoye a night at her home in Morgantown. The next morning she drops us off, and we continued through the same sort of terrain before reaching the first stretch of single track trail in Cheat Canyon. The trail is narrow and clearly under-used, but easy to follow and well blazed. Overgrown trail was my biggest concern going into this hike, knowing the trail is maintained by only a small group of volunteers and doesn’t get nearly enough foot traffic to keep the vegetation at bay, so I am practically holding my breath waiting for it to get bad the moment we step on dirt. After about two miles, the canopy thins out, and the grass gets high. I watch a few small snakes dodge out of the way right before I put my foot down. After a few miles of not finding a good break spot, we perch on the top of a rock for a lunch break before continuing on.
On the map, this section looks like it is right beside the Cheat River, but in reality it is hardly visible. To our right, there is a steep drop down to the river, which is so far below us we can’t hear its rapids or see it through the trees. Towards the end of the day, we get to the one side trail that will lead you to the water, and are rewarded with the perfect break spot. The water is deep and cool, but warm enough to swim in for hours. I rinse off the day’s sweat and set up my makeshift easel to paint while Grey Squirrel continues to enjoy the water. The beach is clear and shaded, and I wish we could camp there.
After a few hours we pack up and continue along a much clearer section of single-track trail to The Friends of the Cheat Campground where we have a peaceful night.
Too Much, Too Soon
The next stretch of trail alternates between paved and gravel road, double track, ATV track, and even a 2 mile section where the trail itself is a rocky, wet stream bed. Since most of this is county roads through private property, we know of no options for camping, so we schedule a 24 mile day into the town of Rowlesburg. Halfway through the day, we come to Veterans Memorial Hwy, which is two miles of paved and traffic road with minimal shoulders and several blind turns. It is a frighting hour of hiking, but we make it through unscathed and I am thankful it was such a short stretch. As we walk past dozens of Posted and No Trespassing signs, I can’t help but feel like West Virginians might not want us here. However, my fears are dissolved as we are passed by a pack of ATVers, who immediately stop and ask us what we are up to. They are all smiles and bewilderment, and then they pass on several bottles of water to help us through the hot day. The few cars we pass on the back roads stop and ask us questions as well, and are excited that we have come from out of state to explore their backyard.
We press on, much farther than my body wants to go on just the third day of a thru hike. We pass a stretch of homes that feel run down and shady, but the residence smile and wave from their porches. Unlike other trails I have hiked with road walks, we aren’t greeted by any angry dogs off leash. We push our last few miles into town as storm rolls in, and reward ourselves with a room at the River House Lodge, eager for a zero day the next day.
Our time in Rowlesburg is interesting. It is a dying town, having lost the railroad industry that once thrived there, and having suffered significant damage from a major flood in 1985. Our host at the lodge grew up there, and is eager to revitalize the town, having purchased and flipped several buildings. He runs a tubing and paddling shuttle service as well as the lodge, and he eagerly gives us a tour around town, pointing out all its quirks and culture. I hike to the top of Cannon Hill, overlooking the town, and paint for a few hours. The town is clean and well kept, with friendly and jovial residence, and we enjoy our rest there.
A Different Kind of Hiking
We nero out of Rowlesburg with a steep climb up a gravel road to Lance Ridge. At the top, we are greeted with rolling farmland and meadows and a backdrop of blue mountains. We arrive at the Lance Ridge Community Building that allows camping, and has working outlets, cell service, picnic tables and flat areas. It doesn’t have a water source, but we packed in water. I set up my tent, then backtrack a half mile to a view we passed earlier. The best spot to sit is under the shade of a tree in the front of a beautiful home. Luckily, the landowner was out mowing and gave me the thumbs up to paint there. After a few hours, a woman comes out with a few bottles of water and an electrolyte freeze pop, for which I am incredibly grateful for. After I am satisfied with my painting, I join Grey Squirrel back at the Community Building and we watch a stunning sunset.
From here, the hiking continues along rural roads, and it is absolutely stunning. As much as I enjoy the forest and endless green tunnel of the trails in Appalachia, I find myself greatly appreciating the constant change in scenery on these roads. Around every bend is a picturesque new landscape, with hay bales, wildflowers, and countless deer. I have always been attracted to the scene of a derelict barn in a meadow, and I fill my camera roll with pictures of them.
We weave through small communities, and I get an insight to a different way of living, far away from the hustle of the city like my life back home. A church provides a great break spot and unlocked bathrooms. The road walks make for quick miles, and our plan for a 13 mile day turns to 16, then 20. We camp at an old single-room school building on a hill and fall asleep quickly, exhausted.
Thomas and Davis and Hikers, Oh My!
The heat we have been experiencing has been making the afternoons rough, so we wake up at 4 am to enjoy a few hours of cooler hiking. Normally, I hate starting that early, but we get to watch the sunrise from the single lane roads we are walking along, and we keep up a good speed. We make it to a boundary of the Monongahela National Forest, and find a tall fire tower to climb. The views are stunning and it makes for a great mid-morning snack break. From there, we make it to single track trail again, and it is pristine. We weave through rhododendron tunnels and blooming mountain laurel for miles. The trail is mostly flat, but my feet seem confused about navigating the roots and rocks after so many days of walking on smooth roads.
As much as I have enjoyed the road walks so far, I find myself giddy at being in the woods again. Part of this stretch is the Canyon Rim Trail, and we get a peak into the Blackwater Canyon. Eventually we end up back on double track, which ends up being a mud puddle obstacle course for a few miles. Here, we meet our first timber rattler, which we spot from a plenty safe distance and are able to pass by without even getting a rattle out of him. The last few miles of our day are hot, and along an exposed rail trail, but eventually we make it to the town of Thomas.
Thomas is small, quaint, and adorable. It has several art galleries in a row, so it is obviously my kind of place. I enjoy the galleries while Grey Squirrel naps at the Air BnB, then we get dinner at the local brewery together.
The next morning I explore the art galleries again, but this time with Grey Squirrel in tow, and after a lazy morning we make the 4 mile road walk to the town of Davis. The road is paved and heavily trafficked, but we have wide shoulders so it feels plenty safe. In Davis, we meet up with Teflon, Leuko, and Trippi, three sisters that are hiking the trail northbound, whom I’ve been in contact with via email. We are eager to meet up, and enjoy exchanging trail tails in their Air BnB. We are all buzzing with excitement at meeting other hikers and the stream of conversation is uninterrupted. I am eager for intel on the upcoming trail, and they do little to calm my nerves. They share stories of ferns taller than them, briar patches, and bushwhacking. I try to take notes of when we should expect the worse, but at the same time I am reassured- if they made it through, then so can we.